Climate Action Planning:
Sleepy Hollow Climate Action Plan
Location: Village of Sleepy Hollow, Hudson River Valley
Client: Village of Sleepy Hollow, NY
Team: VHB/Nautilus International
Nautilus' Role: Climate Adaptation Strategies, Vision Statement, and Community Communication & Engagement
Like other riverfront communities large and small, Sleepy Hollow, NY, a historic Hudson River village, has been increasingly affected by the impacts of climate change and was ready to take action. But what climate hazards posed current threats and which ones needed to be addressed over the longer term? And how could the Village prioritize their efforts and maximize limited resources?
The VHB/Nautilus team started by identifying major climate hazards, evaluating the areas most at risk, and assessing their vulnerability over time. Along with the Village Task Force, the team then used a community-based planning process to develop strategies for climate mitigation and adaptation along with prioritizing a wide variety of potential climate actions.
Nautilus' role was to help develop and support a series of workshops and interviews to understand the needs of residents and business owners as well as communicate technical information and findings. After helping the Village articulate its vision for a more resilient future, Nautilus developed adaptation strategies in parallel with mitigation efforts to address three major climate hazards: 1) increased resilience on the rivers for coastal flooding; 2) restoring natural water cycles and flows to slow down and absorb inland flooding; and 3) building cooler communities to enhance resilience in both the downtown core and larger ecosystems.
Highlights
- The Sleepy Hollow Climate Action Plan was honored with a Planning Achievement Award from the Westchester Municipal Planning Federation in May 2025.
- Explore the project and interactive maps at the Sleepy Hollow Climate Action Hub
